Access Guide
Summary
- View information about opening hours.
- Amenities in this building include: exhibition rooms and historic interiors.
- The most accessible entrance has a slight ramp/slope, a manual door and a door permanently held open.
- This entrance is at the front of the house.
- There are 2 floors once inside.
- Other floors can be accessed via: stairs.
- There is stepped access once inside.
- The chapel on the ground floor is accessed by steps.
- There is a member of staff available for help and assistance.
- Staff/volunteers can describe the layout and access around the site.
- The following are also available: seating, large print information, Braille information, a hearing assistance system which is not signed, maps and on site-transport.
- This site is not part of the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
- The nearest toilet with adaptations for disabled people is located to the left from the servants’ quarters entrance, then on the left. View information about this toilet (new tab).
Equipment and Resources to Borrow
- You can borrow or hire the following equipment: manual wheelchairs. It is highly recommended that these are booked in advance, where this is possible. Please check the National Trust website for details.
- You can borrow these from the Main Car Park Visitor Reception or Church Lodge Visitor Reception. View more information about booking and collection of equipment.
- Powered mobility vehicles cannot be borrowed or hired.
Route to (the House)
- From the main car park visitor reception, head up the hill through the pleasure garden to the house.
Enter the courtyard to the left of the house, and the entrance to the house is on the right. - The route to the area is step-free via a steep ramp/slope.
- Path surfaces along the route are tarmac and bonded gravel.
- The majority of the paths are wide enough for wheelchair users.
- There is an accessible shuttle which can take visitors to this area.
Entrance
- The entrance surveyed is located at the front of the house.
- There is step-free access via slope at the entrance.
- The slight slope is over 150cm wide.
- There is a single manual door which is permanently open.
- The width of the opening is 128cm.
- There is a second manual door which opens away from you.
- The width of the opening is 94cm.
- There is a small lip on the threshold of the entrance with a height of less than 1.5cm.
Visitor Reception
- There is step-free level access into the area.
- There is step-free level access around the area.
- The majority of aisle widths are over 150cm.
- There is room for wheelchair users to manoeuvre (150cm x 150cm) throughout the area.
- The flooring is not smooth and even.
- Where the flooring is not smooth or even, this is due to carpet.
- There is step-free level access to the counter.
- The height of the counter is 100cm.
- There is not a low level section at a suitable height for a wheelchair user.
- The counter has a hearing assistance system which is not signed.
- Services/facilities available include: a portable card machine for payment and a member of staff to provide assistance.
- There is background noise here which varies, depending on the time of day.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- The exit door is manual, permanently held open and has a high colour contrast with the surrounding walls.
- The width of the exit door opening is 94cm.
Tour
- The tour is self-guided but volunteers/staff are available to provide additional information.
- The tour takes approximately 1 hour.
- There is stepped access along the tour route.
- The majority of walkway widths are over 180cm.
- The tour can be adapted to avoid inaccessible areas.
- Areas with stepped access only can be experienced by visitors via a photo album.
- The tour route may vary depending on the season.
- There is background noise which varies, depending on the time of day.
- Tour information includes the following formats: information booklets, Braille and tactile.
- Floor plans/maps are available for the tour route.
- The tour does not have a hearing assistance system.
- There are bench seats at regular intervals along the tour.
- The following furniture is permanently fixed: some of the chairs and all of the tables.
- Some flooring along the tour route is smooth and even.
- Where the flooring is not smooth or even, this is due to carpet.
- Some of the flooring includes large repeating patterns in bold colours, which may look like steps or holes to some people.
- Some of the flooring has a very shiny finish, which could cause issues with glare or look slippery to some people.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good throughout the tour route.
- The only room with stepped access is the chapel, which can be viewed from the corridor above it.
Seasonally, some private rooms on the first floor are viewable to visitors.
These are accessed by the main stairs.
All other areas open to visitors are on the ground floor, with step-free level access.
Stairs (Main)
- The floors which are accessible by stairs are G, 1.
- There are more than 20 steps between floors.
- The steps are not clearly marked with a handrail on the left going up.
- The highest step is 15cm high.
- Lighting levels are moderate to good.
- These stairs also lead to private rooms which open seasonally.
However, you can walk up to second landing to view wall paintings.